Folding device



| M. KAHN FOLDING DEVICE Aug. 18, 1931.

Filed April 24, 1930 ih hpp mm m INVEN 0R.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 LEO M. KAHN, OI NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING DEVICE Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to folding machines and more particularly to thecontrol mechanism for actuating the folding device.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide positive means forselecting the folding line on which articles of varylng sizes will befolded.

Another object is to automatically actuate the folder when the articlepassing the fold- 18 ing mechanism is in the line of fold position withrespect to the folding mechanism. a

A further object is to effect the selection of the line of foldautomatically proportional to its length, depending upon the zone in 15which the article falls when positioned relative to the foldingmechanism.

Other objects include simplicity of construction and minimizing ofmoving complicated mechanisms.

These and other objects are attained by means of a device described inthe specification and illustrated in the drawings forming part thereof,the novel features and improvements in the construction being set forthin 25 the claims.

In the annexed drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation in schematic form of a folding machine embodyingthis invention.

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view to an enlarged 39 scale of the new controlmechanism to clearly illustrate its functioning.

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of the control mechanism.

The frame of the folding machine has 95 rollers 11 over which tapes 12and 13 are adapted to be moved by a driving means 14 connected bybelting 15 as shown in dashed lines. Articles 16 are fed from theplatform 17 between the tapes 12 and 13 which tapes propel the articlestoward the right as viewed in Fig. 1, i. e. toward the folding device 18directly under the folder rolls 19 and 20.

Between the respective tapes in the path of the articles 16 are placed aplurality of 5 switches 21 and 22 pivoted on conductors 23 and 24respectively and normally adapted to protrude above tapes 12 and 13 andto contact with contacts 25 and 26, an equal number being preferablydisposed on each side of the folder The contacts 25 on one side 1930.Serial No. 446,856.

of the folder 18 are individually connected to the correspondingcontacts 26 on'the other side of the folder 18. Also, switches 21 aredesigned to normally make contact and when an article depresses them, tobreak said contact, whereas switches 22 on the other side of the folderare adapted to normally be out of contact with their contact points 26and to be contacted therewith when depressed by the moving article. Theconductors 23 and 24 are connected to a source of current 29 in serieswith a relay 30 having a movable armature 31 adapted when drawn in toclose the circuit which includes a line switch 32 and solenoid 33. Thus,in view of the intercorinections 34, when the front end of the articledepresses one of the switches 22 e. 'g. 22 and the rear of said articlejust leaves the switch 21' whose contact 25' is connected to thecorresponding contact 26' of switch 22, the relay circuit is closed andthe armature is drawn in .to close the solenoid 33 circuit whichactuates the folder 18 whereby the article is drawn up by folder rolls19, 20 in folded condition. These interconnections 34 are preferablymade between switches 21 and 22 equidistant from the folder 18, so thatthe folding line would be exactly or approximately in the center of thearticle to create a half fold. However, certain contacts 26 onthe farside of the folder 18 may be connected to two or more contacts 25 on theapproaching side of the folder, as is indicated by connections 35. Thusa portion less than half the article, say one third its length, willhave passed the folder 18 when same would be actuated. For

as is evident from Fig. 1, short articles whose rear ends fall withinthe zone not interconnectedby connections 35 will be folded in half. Alonger article whose front end contacts 26 V at say 26only say one thirdthe length of the article past the folder-while the'rear of the article,still two thirds of its length away from the folder, just drops off the.switch 25" in the doubly connected zone, will effect the closing of therelay circuit at this point and thereby actuate the folder on its onethird line of fold. Articles longer than those n falling in the onethird zone, will select the half fold; for 25 will be contacted when 26is contacted an equal distance from the folder on the other sidethereof.

Connections 35 may be made through switches 36, so that articles may bezoned at will for folding in the ratio desired for each zone, and thezones may be varied by closing or opening the switches 36 to efiectsame. It should be noted that since switches 25 and 26 are to be placedin close proximity of one another, depending upon the accuracy of thefold desired, at least one switch will always be intervening betweensuccessive articles to enable the automatic determination of the zoneand line of fold by the article to be folded.

An automatically selecting folding machine is thus eifected, wherebyarticles of different lengths will be folded not only in predeterminedratio of their lengths, but whereby the articles will automaticallyselect the ratio. Moreover, unlike the sheet folding machine inventionfor which Patent No. 1313713 was granted to Allison M. MacF-arland, notiming mechanism is necessary for the actuation of the folder. For byvirtue of independent interconnections for every different size ofarticle to be folded, no mechanism is actuated until the article is inposition to be folded. The selection of the line of fold and the foldingare accomplished practically simultaneously, so that no timing mechanismis needed. Because of the design of this invention, the construction ismuch cheaper and simpler than any device of this class previouslyconceived which has come to the noticeof the inventor.

It will thus be seen that the embodiments of the various features ofthisinvention have been fully described, that they attain the variousobjects of the invention and are well suited to the requirements ofpractical use. Of course, many changes can be made in the aboveconstruction. Also many widely different embodiments of this inventioncould be made without departing from the scope thereof.

It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the descriptionand drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Accordingly, what is claimed anddesired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, the combinationof a folder, means for placing said articles in operative relation tosaid folder and means for selecting the line of fold when said articlesare in operative relation to said folder.

2. In a folding machine, the combination with means for moving articlesof varying sizes toward a folding device, of means actuated by saidarticles and including a plurality of members interconnected on oppositesides of said folding device for selecting the fold division of saidarticles.

3. In afolding machine, the combination with means for movin articles ofvarying sizes toward a folding device, of means actuated by saidarticles and including a plurality of members interconnected on oppositesides of said folding device for selecting the fold division of saidarticles, by the front and rear ends thereof actuating an interconnectedpair of said members. I

4. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, in combinationwith a folder actuating control, a plurality of interconnected memberson each side of said folder in static relation thereto and adapted to"be actuated by said articles, whereby the division of fold of anyarticles will be selected by the simultaneous actuation of a pair ofinterconnected members.

5. In a machine, for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising a plurality of members on each side of said folderadapted to be actuated by said articles, interconnections betweenmembers on one side of said folder with those on the other whereby thefront and rear ends of said article actuating a pair of interconnectedmembers will cause actuation of saidfolder.

6. In a machine, for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising a plurality of members on each side of said folderadapted to be actuated by said articles, interconnections betweenmembers on one side of said folder with those on the other andinterconnections between members on one side of said folder whereby thefront and rear ends of said article actuating a pair of interconnectedmembers will cause actuation of said folder.

7. In a folding machine the combination of a folder, means for movingarticles of varying sizes toward said folder, a plurality of members oneach side of said folder adapted to be actuated by said articles,interconnection of members on one side of said folder with those .on theother, and means for actuating said folder when a pair of interconnectedmembers on opposite sides of said folder are actuated by one of saidarticles.

8. In a folding machine the combination of a folder, means for movingarticles of varying sizes toward said folder, a plurality of members oneach side of said folder adapted to be actuated by said articles,interconnection of members on one side of said folder with those on theother, interconnections between members on one side of said folder andmeans for actuating said folder when a pair of interconnected members onopposite sides of said folder are, actuated by one of said articles.

9. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding member, means formoving articles of varying sizes toward said folding member, a pluralityof members interconnected on opposite sides of said folding member andadapted to be actuated by said articles for selecting their folddivision by the front and rear ends thereof actuating an interconnectedpair of said members and means for actuating said folding member whensaid interconnected members are actuated.

10. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising a plurality of members on each side of said folder,adapted to be actuated by said articles, interconnections between saidmembers on one side of said folder with corresponding members on theother, interconnections between members on one side of said folder andmeans for connecting or disconnecting same whereby the division of foldof any article will be selected by the simultaneous actuation of a pairof interconnected members.

11. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising in combination a plurality of terminalsinterconnected on opposite sides of a folder, means in contactingrelation to said terminals and adapted to be actuated by said articles,whereby the division of fold of any article will be selected by thesimultaneous contacting of a pair of interconnected terminals.

12. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising in combination a plurality of members on each sideof a folder, adapted to be actuated by said articles, a plurality ofterminals in contacting relation to said members, interconnectionsbetween said terminals on one side of said folder with correspondingterminals on the other side thereof, and means for actuating said folderwhen said members are caused to contact a pair of interconnectedterminals by one of said articles.

13. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising in combination a plurality of members on each sideof a folder, adapted to be actuated by said articles, a plurality ofterminals in contacting relation to said members, interconnectionsbetween said terminals on one side of said folder with correspondingterminals on the other side thereof, interconnections between terminalson one side of said folder whereby the division of fold of any articlewill be selected by the simultaneous contacting of a pair ofinterconnected terminals on opposite sides of said folder.

14. In a machine for folding articles of varying sizes, a line of foldselector comprising in combination a plurality of members on each sideof a folder, adapted to be actuated by said articles, a plurality ofterminals in contacting relation to said members, interconnectionsbetween said terminals on one with a folder and means for movingarticles of varying sizes toward said folder, of a plurality of memberson each side of said folder, adapted to be actuated by said articles, aplurality of terminals in contacting relation to said members,interconnections between said terminals on one side of said folder withcorresponding terminals on the other side thereof, and means foractuating said folder when said members are caused to contact a pair ofinterconnected terminals by one of said articles.

Signed at 507 Graybar Building in the county of New York and State ofNew York this 22nd day of April A. D. 1930.

LEO M. KAHN.

